YES, YOU CAN STILL JOIN! TO RESERVE CLICK HERE ≫ INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS CLICK HERE ≫ FOR QUESTIONS, JUST CALL 0495-345144
WE ALSO ORGANISE A SKI TRIP FROM 8 TO 10 FEBRUARY TO WINTERBERG IN GERMANY, CLICK HERE ≫
Do yo love skiing? The fresh mountain air? Going for a long walk between the snowy trees? Or putting on a set of Nordic skis or snow shoes? But you don’t have the time to travel all the way to the Alps, or you don’t have the energy to drive on your own. Expat Club has a perfect solution for you, your friends and your family. In the winter of 2019 we travel again by luxury coach to the beautiful Vosges mountains in Eastern France. With an afterwork departure on Friday afternoon from Brussels & Luxembourg, and a return on Sunday evening, and two days of skiing in between, our Vosges ski trips are a perfect weekend getaway with a lovely group of international people.
This is the only ski trip we plan at this moment because we want to make sure the snow conditions are good. If we plan too far ahead (> 2 weeks), we cannot be sure the snow is good.
Included
Transportation by 4* luxury coach
Bottled water (outbound)
Accommodation in a 4* hotel, based on 2 people sharing a room
Ski shuttle on Saturday morning & late afternoon, and Sunday morning
A great group of international people
A lifetime memory
Optional
Upgrade to single room
Ski pass and insurance
Skis & boots & sticks rental
Snowboard & boots rental
Safety helmet rental
Ski clothes rental
Ski lessons absolute beginners
Dinner on Saturday evening
Coach pick-up points
Place Schuman (bus stop next to KBC bank on roundabout)
La Chasse (bus stop on Chaussée d’Auderghem, right before intersection)
Metro Delta (bus stop on Avenue Beaulieu next to Metro exit)
Metro Hermann-Debroux (long bus stop “under elevated highway” next to Loxam)
Place de la Constitution, Luxembourg City (around 20h30, we update you from bus)
Who can join?
One question WAS on the mind of many people who joined our trip(s)… Do I fit into this group? The answer is simple! Expat Club is such a diverse and welcoming group of international people, that it is almost impossible not to fit in. We are open for:
Families are more than welcome on this trip to the Vosges. Children up to 18 years will get a discount:
– up to 3 years – free of charge (if booked by Sunday)
– 4 to 12 years – €200 discount
– 13 to 17 years – €100 discounts
Please contact us before by email or phone to ensure the discounts will be applied, 0495-345144 or info@expatclub.org.
La Bresse - Hohneck, the best weekend ski getaway from Brussels!
Great snow, beautiful surroundings, good ski lifts! Join us to the Vosges mountains.
The La Bresse station has everything you need, including restaurants, ski shop and rentals.
Our ski resort offers 50km of slopes, from green to black.
Three highspeed chairlifts, 4 regular chairlifts and several drag lifts ensure a large number of skiers can ascend the beautiful Vosges mountains.
Well maintained slopes are "powdered" every night with fresh artificial snow to create optimal skiing conditions.
Enjoy two days on the slopes with old and new friends.
The slopes are also great for snowboarding.
And for little race monsters!
Even the smallest expats will have a grand time in the special kids area. Ski classes by the ESF can be arranged.
For the real experts La Bresse offers challenging obstacles!
In the late afternoon the slopes are lit up by dozens of lights (note we don't ski at night).
Take a break in various places of the resort.
Good and tasty french food is waiting for you. Prices are decent.
For hikers, snowshoers and Nordic skiers, La Bresse offers endless possibilities.
The landscape is breathtaking and the panoramic views are magnificent.
La Hohneck summit at 1363 meters is the regions highest spot | by Adomisic (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Walk in between the snow covered trees.
Or walk along the ski slopes. You will definitely get a good workout.
Swoooosh! Have fun on the 900 meter long Schlitte.
One of our fun groups in 2018. A nice time for young and old, solo travellers, couples, families and retirees. We travel with comfortable 4* quality buses from Brussels and Luxembourg.
Have fun on the slopes with people you meet in the bus and the hotel.
Yet another 2018 group enjoying their time on and off the slopes.
Awesome atmosphere at the après-ski bar with a live DJ, hot wine and great food.
Ski Resort
For this special winter weekend trip we travel to the La Bresse – Hohneck ski station in the Vosges mountains in Eastern France, situated between 900 and 1350 meters. It measures 220 hectares and is the largest area in the Vosges mountains. With this altitude it is higher than other (smaller) Vosges resorts, especially since it boasts over 350 snow canons. These do not only “top up” the slopes every evening, but are also key for having a firm base layer on which fresh snow sticks well. The area is great for hiking, snow shoeing and Nordic Skiing. It is very child friendly, offers good skiing for total beginners, beginners, medium and advanced skiers. This is a perfect destination for a great weekend ski trip!
1 super-fast 6-seats detachable chairlift
1 super-fast 4-seater detachable chairlift
1 super-fast 4-seater “rolling mat” chairlift
2 traditional 4-seater chairlifts
1 traditional 2-seater chairlifts
7 drag lifts, including 4 on beginners slope
50km slopes: 8 green, 20 blue, 13 reds, 1 black
Oupoualand kids area with 2 ski conveyor belts
many kilometers prepared Nordic skiing tracks
360+ snow canons
Various restaurants
900 meter Schlitte sled-ride
Sledge area for kids (& adults)
What if I can’t yet ski?
No problem, because we offer a FREE 2-hours private group skiing class for absolute beginners in the morning. During this class you will learn the basic techniques that get you going on the initiation slopes:
– preparing and putting on your skis
– falling and getting up again
– uncrossing your skis when you’re on the ground
– sliding on the ground
– walking uphill
– breaking
– turning
With this basic knowledge you should be able to have some fun already on the basic slopes. We therefore advise absolute beginners to take the “initiation package” (formula 2 on the next page). This will save you a lot of money since you may not want to go up the big slopes yet. If you do change your mind in the afternoon or Sunday, you can always change your ticket.
Other ski classes Already some experience? Private lessons? Ski lessons for children? Please contact us so we can try to help you find a group class or a private instructor. If you want private snowboard or skiing lessons, or if you want your young children to ski, please contact us for the possibilities. For small children it costs €32 per 2-hours in the special children’s Piou Piou section (very cute). Classes run from 11h00 to 13h00 and from 13h00-15h00.
Hiking trips & Nordic Skiing
There are tons of hiking / walking / Nordic Skiing opportunities in the area. If you are interested, please let us know so we can hook you up with other people with the same interest! The surroundings are very beautiful. You can even decide to take a lift up and walk on the top of the mountains! For Nordic skiers, you can rent your skis and poles during checkout, the same goes for snow shoes (only for two days, but let us know if you prefer it for only one day).
The 40-persons Royal Class bus may very well be the most beautiful bus in Belgium! Every leather seat has much leg space, can recline more than usual, has leg rests and a USB port.*
Coach
We will be travelling with a 4* luxury coach with extra leg space, an on-board toilet, DVD-system with 3 flat screens, air-conditioning and reclining comfort seats with footrests. Of course it is possible to take your own ski or snowboard set with you. During the trip we provide you with some drinks and snacks (waffles, chocolate bars etc). The trip to Épinal will take about 5,5 to 6 hours, including a 45 minutes dinner stop in Belgium around 19h00 and picking up a few extra guests in Luxembourg (around 20h45). Our arrival time on Friday evening will be around 23h30. On Saturday and Sunday we use the same bus to travel from Épinal to La Bresse (about 55 minutes).
Hotel
We will be staying in Épinalon the edge of the Vosges mountains. There are no available hotels closer to the resort, whereas it would be too risky to drive into the mountain region when we arrive because roads won’t be cleaned anymore after 20h00.
Best Western Plus La Fayette****
The Best Western is conveniently located close to the highway, and is the best hotel in town. This way we won’t lose time going into town and can spend more time on the slopes. You will have free access to a heated swimming pool and spa (only on Saturday evening because it is closed in the morning). The rooms are air-conditioned and spacious. All rooms feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel. In the mornings you can enjoy a good buffet breakfast, which is already included in the basic trip fee. You can choose between a single, double or twin room. If you are a male solo traveller and would like to share a room, this is the only hotel we offer (limited rooms for males!).
Are you travelling alone? We got a perfect solution! For solo travellers who would like to avoid the single room surcharge, Expat Club offers a service to pair you up with a room mate so you can share a room. You do not pay a single-room supplement and we will find you a room partner (no worries about that!). We do not assign you one, but you can choose who you would like to share the room with during the outbound journey to France. This solution worked very well during our last trips. Note that all room types are limited, so the earlier you book, the better we can help you get the room you want.
Rentals
For your convenience Expat Club offers to book everything you need in advance: ski pass, ski equipment rental, clothing, helmets and skiing lessons. Weekends are always (very) busy here, reservation is therefore essential. So don’t spend your time waiting, have fun on the slopes!
Minimum waiting time upon arrival Exclusive group check-in (regular lines are very long) Get your ski pass immediately Choose between various sets: basic, medium, advanced, pro Your personal ski set is prepared (boots, skis/board, poles) No risk your set is rented out Optional renting of high quality ski clothing, safety helmet, ski insurance Nordic skis & snow shoes rental possible No waiting for payment and unnecessary administration Get ski lessons by a professional ski instructor Ski lessons for the youngest expats (3-5 and 6-12 years)
Prices are indicated on the page after you click the “Book now” button. We only offer 2-day packages in the standard reservation system, otherwise it will be too complicated. All rentals will be fully refundable until 3 days before departure. During the checkout process you can indicate your preferences. Please note we need the following date for every traveller. This is important because the rental agency wants to prepare your set. If you travel with a friend and you don’t know his/her data, just let us know what you need and send all details of your friend(s) or family asap afterwards.**
The full name of each traveller Age (in years) Height (in cm) Weight (in kg) Shoe size (European size, e.g. 36 or 44) Level of skiing (beginner, medium, advanced)
Also no-rental is an option of course, for instance if you take your own equipment or don’t want to go skiing. Please contact at info@expatclub.org if:
You want to go skiing only for 1 day You want to combine skiing with Nordic skiing or snow shoeing You only want to rent skis, or only want to rent boots You travel with children You have specific requests or concerns
ASSUR’GLISSE
Hit the slopes with peace of mind, thanks to ASSUR’GLISSE. With this cover, should an amateur have an accident or serious illness in the ski resort or during a sporting activity included in the issued pass, ASSUR’GLISSE assumes various costs (see trip information page for overview). Note this insurance is not a regular travel insurance (we strongly suggest to get one too!), and that this particular insurance is not offered by Expat Club itself, and you must confirm again it is included in your ski pass upon arrival in the resort. Expat Club does not assume any responsibility if it is not included for whatever reason. For a speedy “check-in” at the ski resort we do recommend to order it in advance (€1,50 service fee applies). The below information is from ASSUR’GLISSE itself.
Clothing For several participants in our group this will be the first time to go “to the snow”. And for others it may have been some time ago on the slopes. You should expect temperatures sub-zero temperatures to around zero. With some wind it may become a bit more chilly. Dressing up appropriately is therefore essential. For skiing you must have special ski clothes. If you don’t have this, we suggest to borrow this from someone. At La Bresse-Hohneck you can also rent a full set of high-quality clothes for less than €60 (order during the reservation process). Finally, you can buy it (online) at Decathlon where you may get a full set for about €100-150. Get/buy the following items (the sport shops can help you):
Skiing / snowboarding pants and jacket (from €60 to €1000). Jeans are NOT appropriate! We suggest to just get something cheap and decent for the weekend.
Maybe a winter jacket, unless your regular jacket is warm enough and can be used for skiing.
It may also be advisable to buy ski/thermal underwear. These are highly elastic garments that cover your entire body and keep you considerably warmer than without. This costs about €10 in Decathlon, but more expensive sets go from €40 to €100.
On top of that you need one or two pairs of ski socks, which are very thick long socks that reach almost to your knees. You need them to stay comfortably warm in your boots.
You also need good sports/ski sunglasses (from €5 to €25 in Decathlon). These cover a larger area over your eyes than the smaller shades that you would use in the summer. Under (very) snowy conditions you need snow goggles.
Comments
The trip will be carried out by one of our trusted coach partners.
This trip is carefully planned. Still, all timings are indicative and may change if required by circumstances (e.g. weather).
The trip is sold as a package. You cannot go with your own transportation or arrange your own accommodation. If there are specific things that you do not want in the package, please let us know.
You are personally responsible for getting a good cancellation and/or travel insurance that covers you for unforeseen emergencies and medical expenses before or during the trip.
You are personally responsible for using the hotel room in an appropriate way. Any missing or broken items will be billed after the trip.
Expat Club cannot be held liable for long delays that influence the program, such as traffic jams). Neither can Expat Club be held liable for weather-related cancellations or any other unforeseen events that influence the course of the trip, including, but not limited to technical problems with the coach, strikes, weather etc.
Expat Club cannot be held liable for personal injuries during the trip, such as, but not limited to, things that happen on the slopes or other places (e.g. an icy parking lot).
If you do not find a room partner on your own, we will find one for you (male/male, female/female). During the outbound trip we will connect you with others in the same position. You will never have to pay for a single surcharge if there is no room partner for you! If you decide to take a single room during the trip, then you will have to fully pay for it yourself.
If you book a double / twin room and your travel partner cancels, you will have to pay the single room supplement or share a room with another person (if available).
The cancellation with a refund, as described in the terms & conditions, does not apply to this trip since you can only book maximum 2 weeks in advance anyway. And within this period you cannot cancel the trip and get a refund. You can always find a friend or colleague who will join instead of you. And we offer you a refund on the ski pass and rentals if you cancel before Wednesday.
Note about the hotel location. As much as we would like to stay next to the slopes, we purposefully to choose hotels in Épinal for various reasons: a) hotels in La Bresse or Gerardmer are not available for groups who book last-minute (or are simply fully booked well in advance) and are generally much more expensive, b) shuttle buses from La Bresse and Gerardmer to the actual resorts are badly organised because they are most of the times completely full so you may have to wait 60-90 minutes, c) roads in the Vosges are not cleaned after 20h00 so we would risk getting stuck at night in case of heavy snowfall, d) we want to limit the driving time on Friday evening so our bus is available to drive again 9 hours later (EU regulations). Having studied the entire area well, this is our only alternative. Downside is that it requires a 50 minute transfer in the morning and evening.
* We travel with a Royal Class coach, one of the very best buses in Belgium! However, if more than 40 people want to join we may travel with a Princess Class bus. This is the regular bus we use, even though it still has more leg space than 90% of the buses in Belgium.
Insurance
You are advised to get a good travel insurance. If you travel regularly you are probably already well insured for winter activities. Most European-wide insurances from Belgium cover theft and healthcare expenses in the unfortunate case something happens (e.g. if you get into an accident on the slopes… knock on wood). However, we advise you to check this with your insurance company, especially for rescue operations on the slopes. A family of four can already be insured for about €65-70 per year, and daily insurances are already available for a few euro. At the same time we recommend you to check whether you have a cancellation insurance, just in case you fall ill or something else happens that prevents you from going.
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